Social Withdrawal And The Relation Between Social Withdrawal And Loneliness In Middle Childhood: A Longitudinal Study

The present study tried to examine the stability and gender difference of social withdrawal, and to find the predictive relationship between two different types of social withdrawal and loneliness, then to explore the function of self-perceived social competence, peer acceptance, friendship quality in this predictive relationship during middle childhood. 307 children in an elementary school from the third grade and fourth grade, completed Revised Class Play, peer nomination, Friendship Quality Questionnaire, PCSC and Children's Loneliness Scale in June 2002, June 2003 and June 2004.The findings indicated that:1. The social withdrawal (include active withdrawal and passive withdrawal) declined as they grew up. Children who were early social withdrawal, their level of withdrawal declined faster.2. There was no significant gender difference on the initial state of active withdrawal. There was significant gender difference on the initial state of passive withdrawal. There was no significant gender difference on the developmental tendency of two types of social withdrawal.3. There was no significant cohort effect on active withdrawal and passive withdrawal.4. Active withdrawal and loneliness could significantly positively predict each other. While passive withdrawal couldn't predict loneliness.5. Active withdrawal at t1 could significantly positively predict loneliness and significantly negatively predict self-perceived social competence at t3. If the self-perceived social competence at tl was controlled, active withdrawal at tl could significantly positively predict the loneliness at t3, but loneliness at tl couldn't significantly positively predict the active withdrawal at t3.6. Active withdrawal at tl couldn't significantly predict the peer acceptance of at t3.7. Loneliness at tl was significantly higher than Loneliness at t3. children who were classified into the group of friendship quality having increased, significantly scoredhigher than those who were classified into the group of friendship quality having no change. There was no significant difference on loneliness among three active withdrawal changing types.